Improvement in candlesticks



A. ALBERTSON.

fiandie'stick.

Patented on. 19,1825.

No 168,822. i351 WASHINGTON n C UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ALBERT ALBERTSON, OF JFBSEY orrnnEw JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAN DLESTICKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. [68,822, dated October19, 1875; application filed l March 31, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT ALBERTSON, of Jersey City, in the county ofHudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements inCandlesticks, of which the following is a specification:

' The'object of this invention is to provide a candlestick which may beused indifferently with candles of the various sizes or diametersordinarily found in the market or provided for use, and which will inall cases hold the candlefirmly in the requisite vertical position,without the aid of wrapping or other adventitious devices. To this endthe invention consists in the combination, with a candlesocket, ofinternal longitudinal springs constructed with outwardly-curved orflaring upper ends, whereby the springs may be automatically expanded toreceive the candle, by the simple downward pressure of the latter whenthrust into the socket, the said springs then serving to hold thecandle, whatever its diameter, in the requisite vertical position.

The invention further comprises certain novel means whereby the combinedsocket and-springs are brought within moderate compass, whereby thedurability and efficient operation of the springs in such relation areincreased, and due provision made for the requisite attachment andarrangementof the springs without interference with the usual movementof the bottom slide in the vertical adjustment of the candle within thesocket.

Figure 1 is a top view of a candlestick made according to my invention.Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken in the line y yof Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a like view, taken in the line c2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a top, and Fig. 5 a vertical sectional view, showing amodification of my said invention.

A is the vertical tubular socket of a candlestick, having the usualcylindrical form, and attached at its lower end to any suitable base, asindicated at B in Fig. 3; G are springs made ofthin sheet metal, andpreferably three in number. These springs are arranged within thesocket, concentric with the axis thereof, and their upper portions a arecurved in their cross-section on the arc of a circle, as shown moreplainly intFig. l. The lower portions 0 f the springs are ofrmuch lesswidth than the upper portions or, and are proportionally weaker or moreyielding. The springs are situate a small spacesay, one-eighth of aninch-from the inner surface of the socket. Their lower ends, beingcurved outwardly, are soldered to the just-mentioned surface of thesocket ata, while their upper and broader ends are flared outward, asrepresented in Figs. 1,2, and 3, to facilitate the insertion of thecandle downward between the same. D are flat external springs, attachedat their upper extremities to the extremities of the outwardly-flaringend portions of the Springs 0, by solder or otherwise, and at theirlower extremities to the outer circumference of the socket. E is thebottom slideof the socket, capable of a vertical movement for the vertical adjustment of the candle within the socket. In order to insure therequisiteguiding of this slide, (which, if accomplished in the ordinarymanner, would interfere with the hereinbeibre-described arrangement ofthe springs 0,) its thumb-piece F, attached to its standard G, in theusual manner, and, as in the common candlestick, projecting laterallythrough a slot in the socket, is formed with a hole, f, through which ispassed an elastic guide stem or spring, g, soldered externally to thesocket. By thus dispensing with the usual guiding device the requisiteattachment of the spring (J is provided for without interference withthe use or operation of the aforesaid bottom slide E.

In the use of the candlestick, made as represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,and just hereinbefore described, the candle, of any desired or requisitesize or diameter, is thrust base end downward into the socket, betweenthe springs-O, the flaring upper ends of the latter facilitating theentrance of the candle, being, in fact, inclined planes, which enablethe down wardly-forced candle to push the springs O aside to therequisite extent. The upper ends of the springs O are enabled to yieldthe more readily by their attachment to the external or supplementalsprings D, while the narrowed lower portions 12, yielding more readilythan the broader and stiffer upper portions 1), enable the latter toyield at bottom in the same manner that the external springs 1) enablethem to yield at top. By this means ,fore set forth, in addition to itsnormal function, serves, in connection with the stem 9, to guide andsustain the said bottom slide in proper position within the socket.

. In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5,

the internal springs, also marked 0 as in the other figures, are looseor free at their lower ends and bowed or curved at their upper ends,where they are attached to the top of the socket, the bowed upper endsbeing of such size and curvature as to give considerable freedom ofoutward movement when the same are pushed radially from the axis of thesock- .et by the insertion of a candle, the freedom of the lower endspermitting them to accommodate themselves to the position of the upperends, so that the main length or internal portions of the springs fitsnugly and continuously upon the inserted portion of the candle,whereby, whatever its diameter, is thus firmly held in place. Thismodification of my invention may be used, either in connection with thefixed bottom plate or cup 0, as shown in Fig. 5, or with a bottom slidefitted within the socket, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3, and providesa cheap method of applying to use the principle of my invention. Thebowed upper ends of its springs G occupy an amount of space that isfrequently objectionable, and

the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and hereinbefore firstdescribed, is, therefore, as a rule, to be preferred.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The internal longitudinal springs 0,constructed with the outwardly-curved or flaring upper ends a, incombination with the socket A, whereby the said springs are caused toautomatically receive the candle when thrust into the socket, and tohold the same in an upright position, whatever the diameter of thecandle, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination of the external supplemental springs D with the'internal springs 0, having their lower portions 1) narrower and moreyielding than their upper portions a, the whole arranged in relationwith the socket A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the elastic guide stem or spring g, with thethumb-piece F, of g the bottom slide E, whereby provision is made forthe arrangement of the springs 0 within the socket A, withoutinterference with the vertical movement of the slide, substantially asherein set forth.

ALBERT ALBERTSON. Witnesses:

J AS. H. MATHAEI, W. M. EDWARD.

